Need some suggestions for my wife's CCW

[snubbyfan]

A few things, my peripheral neuropathy causes weakness in my wrists and hands. I also have arthritis in my left thumb. A 442 with a spring change and smoothing and a grip change works for me. With semi's not only could the slide be a bit of a challenge at times but working the controls can also get to be a bit of a challenge.
I found things like the the slide lock, mag release and safeties can be difficult. Forget about Glock takedown levers. The triggers on polymer semi's feel odd to me too.
I tried handling the LCP, BG380 and LC9 at my local gun shop. I actually wasn't able to dry fire either the LCP or the BG380 without a drastic change in how I held the gun, the LC9 wasn't much better.
LoboGunLeather pretty much sums it all up. Except that for me I can still hold my lightweight 442 up and fire it with one hand. The heavier snubbies, not so much. A few ounces makes a difference there. I was willing to trade more "felt" recoil for versatility and the ability to fire with one hand when needed.

 

[Rancher Will]

My wife has carried a revolver in her special purse for close to 60 years. See the info that I posted above about women's holsters.

For any lady with the physical limitations you describe,, my wife suggested that you go to a gun shop, pickup and handle any of their small revolvers to locate one that is comfortable and easy for you to handle. Do not get one too lite weight but be sure that you can hold it and pull the trigger with ease. Too light and the recoil will be excessive and too heavy and you will not be comforatble carrying it.

If you carry it in a purse a revolver as as easy to conceal and carry as any auto and it fires by just pulling the trigger, no slide to fool with.

Perhaps a .36 Special, with mild loads, such as target wad cutters, would be easy for you to handle with your limitaions.

 

[pawncop]

As others have suggested she needs to make several decisions.

Is her interest more than lukewarm?

What does she feel is the most comfortable?

I would suggest a revolver but it is up to her to decide.

 

[SgtLumpy]

Back up. Buy her a copy of Grant Cunningham's Defensive Revolver Fundamentals, Massad Ayoob's In The Gravest Extreme, or frankly any good, basic read on the many issues related to carrying for self defense. Suggest she read.

After she's had a chance to digest what carrying really means, see if she's still interested.

My thinking? You guess she's at best perhaps willing to carry in her purse (not a good place to carry), and don't envision her wearing a holster (a better place to carry). That indicates she's not sure yet what carrying entails or if it's for her.

Picking the gun out now is putting the cart before the horse.

This ^^^

Is it HER "lukewarm decision" to want to carry? Or yours/someone else's?

Consider - a 69 y/o handicapped woman with bad hands... Seems like a pretty ideal target for a purse snatcher. Where's that gun?

It's not easy or simple or trivial for a physically fit 20 y/o to carry a gun everywhere. It's REALLY not easy or simple or trivial for anyone, any age, any fitness level to think about shooting another human. It probably is much easier, simpler and less life changing to carry pepper spray.

I'd feel better about anyone capable, practiced and ready to use OC spray over someone with a gun they're not sure of. And to me it wouldn't matter if you were Jerry Mic or Brian Enos or Jeff Cooper, if you had your gun in your purse, I wouldn't feel comfortable.

How about get her shootin'! Take her to the range. Let her shoot your guns. I'll always let range neighbors shoot my guns. Maybe she can shoot some other guns there at the range. If she gets excited about shooting paper, maybe CCW is right for her.

ANYONE can operate a slide on an auto. ANYONE. It has zero to do with hand strength. It's simple leverage. Watch that guy on YouTube with no arms operate his auto including reload. If you can open a door knob or pull open a dresser drawer you can operate a pistol slide.


Sgt Lumpy

 

[S&W45Colt]

I bought my wife a .32 mag J frame, it's six shots vs the five of the 38 special. She enjoys shooting it, she despised shooting the 38 J because of the hand sting. There are quite a few men who do not like 38 J's because of the recoil, much less a woman with hand issues. I'd stay away from the .38 and go with the 22 magnum or the 32. Personally I think the .32 mag is a better self defense caliber when loaded with the Barnes Rounds and the .32 has a shorter trigger than the .22.

JMO

 

[wildenout]

Recoil can be REALLY snappy with the .380 small guns, and they slap your palm like no other. I would suggest a semi heavier J frame, such as a stainless steel one (model 60 for example). Better recoil, no racking, trusted load, and won't really slap her hand around.

 

[Doug M.]

Lots of good points. Most .380s do present an unpleasant recoil impulse as described. A revolver is simpler to explain to a novice or person less comfortable with mechanical devices (like my wife). The problem with J frames is that the sights tend to be ... hard to see, at best, and the trigger on a J frame is hard to get to be as nice as on a K. However, if your wife is like mine, a J frame is as big as can be carried given clothes, physical size, and places she will be going.

However, she is not likely to be shooting at a significant distance, so a pocket carried gun is a good option (purse carry has a lot of flaws, especially for a woman with hand problems, as noted). A revolver can also make a contact shot without running the risk of pushing the slide out of battery.

A .38 with wadcutters is not a bad ballistic choice at all. I carry my J .38 loaded with wadcutters when I carry it. The LG405 grips from Crimson Trace are a bit bigger, but have the extra cushioning which may be worthwhile, plus the laser. I have heard good stuff about the 6 shot .32s as a concept, but have no knowledge of the ballistic options. A .22/.22mag is better than a fervent hope and strong language, even if you hired me to teach it (and I am well qualified ). Given the carry issues that might arise, I strongly advocate the various "Centennial" style J frames, with the completely enclosed backstrap/covered hammer. A lot less chance of crud getting into the action, a lot less chance of snagging.

That said: first she needs to have right mindset. She has to have and display the willingness to use that gun if the time comes. Having it in her hand and not displaying the will could mean she has to use it, or she loses it. THEN, and only then - range time. Try lots of guns, for fit, comfortable shooting, ability to carry.

 

[wildenout]

Trigger job, and upgrade on the front sight (easy to find online or at your local gun smith) and you're good to go on the J frame. I seriously counsel people to be weary of those .380 polymers, the only real good .380 IMO is the Walther PPK, or the Sig (can't remember number) because they are steel.

 

[coach22]

Rather then a trigger job, give her a trigger finger job.
Buy some snap caps.
Have her pull the trigger 25 times every other day.
Her finger will get stronger and the spot
where the trigger drops the hammer will become familiar.
With the 351C or any rimfire,
I'd leave the factory trigger pull alone.
It's that way for a reason.

 

[forrestinmathews]

You know she might just be a good candidate for an eight shot revolver. They can be had pretty light and with moonclips the "bullets" all go in together and come out together. No big mess in a purse and simple for a novice user. It's bigger than those autos you mentioned, but she's got 8 shots to take care of business before any reload would be necessary. Ammo carriers and weapon are big enough not to get lost in a purse if that's applicable. If that's too large then you've got the option to go with a 340 M&P with the crimson trace. That way you only have five shots but that gun is small and fool proof. A handgun of any sort is a compromise. These are just better compromises for the end user described.

I'm not a fan of semi auto pistols for people that don't regularly use them. Too much to go wrong. Too many drills to learn. Too complex of a load and unload procedure. I also believe the .380 and the single stack 9mm to be advanced self defense weapons. You had better be a good marksman and have great recoil management in those light options. You aren't going to solve any problems by pouring on bullets and there's not a lot of ballistic improvements made in a three inch barrel. A .357 loaded with 125gr Hornady XTP hollow points is not going to let you down.

 

[Der Biermeister]

This ^^^

Is it HER "lukewarm decision" to want to carry? Or yours/someone else's?

Depends -- a year ago, she was leaning towards getting a gun (I definitely should have acted on it then), but now she says she could care less.

Consider - a 69 y/o handicapped woman with bad hands... Seems like a pretty ideal target for a purse snatcher. Where's that gun?

True -- but there are a whole bunch of different scenarios where her having the gun just might be to her advantage. But like you say - some would go against her.

It's REALLY not easy or simple or trivial for anyone, any age, any fitness level to think about shooting another human.

One thing she is not - and that is a bleeding heart lib. If she were threatened and if she were armed and trained there is no question in my mind that she could pull the trigger.

It probably is much easier, simpler and less life changing to carry pepper spray.


How about get her shootin'! Take her to the range. Let her shoot your guns. I'll always let range neighbors shoot my guns.

Of course - that is already in the plans. I've got a nice .32 revolver that I plan to start her out on. In fact -- this is the very gun I bought for her back in 1963 over in Hawaii for her to use as protection when I was out at sea. She practiced it with way back then - but never since. I am not going to go up in caliber as I know they would be too much for her.

Maybe she can shoot some other guns there at the range. If she gets excited about shooting paper, maybe CCW is right for her.

Doubt that will happen as I don't believe the range I belong to loans out guns. They might, but I've just never seen any. From these discussions here, the various .22 revolvers that I am thinking might be ok for her are probably going to be hard to come by for trial.

ANYONE can operate a slide on an auto. ANYONE. It has zero to do with hand strength. It's simple leverage. Watch that guy on YouTube with no arms operate his auto including reload. If you can open a door knob or pull open a dresser drawer you can operate a pistol slide.

There is some truth to what you say, but I think for the average person it is not near as easy as you make it sound.

Let me explain where my thinking is at. I truly believe that our society is speeding toward significant civil unrest. The old adage that we are simply one night away from revolt and anarchy is actually true. It wouldn't take much in the way any interruption in the status quo of our lives to clear the shelves on every grocery store in the country. I've been preparing myself by acquiring more weapons, training with them, buying ammo, etc., etc., for several years. When the balloon DOES go up (and it will), I do not have any misplaced fantasies about what will happen. I am pretty sure that me and my family will not last long in the confrontations ...... but I expect to take a few of the zombies with me.

So every little bit that I can better prepare my loved ones is a plus. Can't think of anything that will be a perfect solution .. just better than doing nothing.

 

[shouldazagged]

One thing she is not - and that is a bleeding heart lib. If she were threatened and if she were armed and trained there is no question in my mind that she could pull the trigger.

It doesn't take a "bleeding heart lib" to hesitate to shoot another human being. The fact is that nobody who has never shot someone can predict with certainty his or her reaction when push comes to thug. We may think and hope that with sufficient training we could fire if we had to. Certainly training makes it more likely we could defend ourselves to that degree. But we can't know for sure, unless the moment arrives, whether we'll flash on "Thou shalt not kill."

 

[Highhawk1948]

My wife went from a SW air weight .38 to a .22 air weight. Both would be worth your wife trying.

 

[thebeamanater107]

Run her through the purse gun theory. You can bet with the majority of women who carry, the gun is located in her purse. If in an odd situation, she can put her hand in her purse with that side away from her opponent, while trying to talk her way out of the situation. She can ready the gun and point it while it's inside the purse, and, if the need arises, pull the trigger.

Purse guns are less limited in the size and comfort category. Weight goes with size, however. A revolver, being simple in construction and operation compared to an automatic, may be ideal. The j frame in aluminum could work out just fine.

the original point and click interface, by Smith and Wesson

 

[Der Biermeister]

It doesn't take a "bleeding heart lib" to hesitate to shoot another human being. The fact is that nobody who has never shot someone can predict with certainty his or her reaction when push comes to thug. We may think and hope that with sufficient training we could fire if we had to. Certainly training makes it more likely we could defend ourselves to that degree. But we can't know for sure, unless the moment arrives, whether we'll flash on "Thou shalt not kill."

That can be said for everyone on here except of course for those LEOs who have actually fired at people.

That is not the point that I was trying to get across -- there are a large percentage of the population that would never fire no matter what the threat and they know that ahead of time. My wife is not in that group.

 

[shouldazagged]

Seems logical to me that people who know ahead of time that they'll never fire, no matter what, would be unlikely to carry guns in the first place.

 

[hotrod150]

You certainly might be right on the trigger pull of the 351pd. All S&W .22's come with a trigger that is a couple pounds HEAVIER than their .38 spls since the 22 is a rim fire and they want positive ignition......

It's my understanding that the stock factory mainspring for a centerfire is 8# and for a 22 rimfire is 12#.

 

[venomballistics]

I just read .. WHAT!?

here we go all over again.
poor defenseless female mentality influencing gun advise.
My sister in law followed such advice as it made more sense to her than mine at the time.
the result was an LCR that she is afraid of.
at the range where it instilled fear .. I eventually talked her into firing my 629 ... which .. get this ... SHE PREFERRED
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I have a wife who can eat up 45 ACP with the best of you

this airweight mouse gun for ladies thing just has to stop.
it does more to augment the problem than it does to solve anything

 

[Hapworth]

It's my understanding that the stock factory mainspring for a centerfire is 8#...

Technically, 8.5, and reduced poundage mainsprings are 8.

 

[Lobster Picnic]

I think the triggers are too heavy on the lightweight rimfire revolvers. The suggestion of a carry gun in .32 S&W Long is a very good one. The centerfire trigger is likely to be far superior, and the .32 Long is a fairly mild round but likely better for defense than .22 magnum. Buffalo Bore has some good defensive ammo in that caliber.